New Book: Oncology and Infectious Diseases in ancient Egypt

This is the result of previous information and more research done at Manchester in 2007-2008, at the KNH centre.

This work focuses on pathogenic elements found in the Ebers papyrus: a series of prescriptions that are believed to be the remains of a "book of tumours" which deals with what appear to have been benign ganglionic masses, polyps, sebaceous cysts, varicose veins and aneurysms. Discussion of this Treatise on Tumours (paragraphs 857-877) includes the previous probable identification of a disease, the analysis carried out to date by several Egyptologists, and my own interpretation which combines the linguistic approach adopted by these scholars in the past, and the medical observations of scientists in more recent years: in total we have descriptions of neoplasias versus swellings. This work also includes some references to the plants mentioned as treatments for the illnesses described in the 21 paragraphs of the Papyrus? last section on tumours (what it is now thought to be oncological concerns) taking into account the problem of translation, since some plants are still unidentified today.References are made to material evidence found in Egyptian mummies in several sites revealing the presence of a tumour.

About the Author
Researcher of ancient Egypt since 2002 with a 'previous life' on Tourism and Hotel Management.I learned also about ancient writings and peoples around Egypt. This present work on cancer in ancient Egypt acknowledges also the importance of what happens in Egypt today regarding health issues, allowing the possibility for preliminary conclusions.